I was trying to recall how retirees 50 years ago spent their retirement years. People then retired at 55, much younger than we retirees are today. Does anyone of you can remember?
Digging deep into my memory, fishing was a great pastime for men. I followed my late uncle for a few fishing trips as a kid. We left our house just before sunrise. While women spent their leisure time playing mahjong, and those with money would go for tea dance.
Families would spend weekends having picnics at Changi Beach and bringing pots of fried bee hoon, curry, bread and green bean soup for the afternoon meals at the beach. These were the activities most retirees embarked on back then—mainly outdoors and physical actions. But with the introduction of the internet, many people now spend their time watching a screen under a roof.
A few years ago, I asked my young friend what her father did in his retirement. She told me that he watches YouTube most of the time, becoming a YouTube junkie. Now, it looks like I am becoming one too. There are so many things on YouTube that I can learn from. But I hope I will not become a YouTube addict. Furthermore, with the introduction of AI, things are starting to change and making processes much more accessible.
I just discovered that free AI software on the internet can compose music and sing the lyrics we put in. And now we don’t even need to crack our heads to think of lyrics. ChatGPT can generate it. So, in less than 10 minutes, we can compose a new song with music and vocals. You can even download it and share your composition with friends. (Watch the YouTube.)
Those who love to sing but are not equipped with a professional voice can now, with the help of AI, sing your favourite song professionally in your voice. I just found this last night while watching YouTube. So now, with technology, our retirement activities are much more than our father’s time.
Maybe I am just curious but lazy by nature. I always want to know how the professionals do their things and if there are any shortcuts to these. Retirement has allowed me to discover new things, gain new knowledge, and broaden my horizons.
William Kho
William Kho was a senior management staff member of a water treatment company. He is now fully retired and pursuing a happy and meaningful retirement life.
